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Explore Washington

Explore Washington's Natural Beauty

What defines Washington State's natural beauty? Big mountains, big trees, big water and big vistas—you'll find them all here. From its Pacific coast beaches to the 14,410-foot snowcapped summit of Mount Rainier , from the soggy, mossy depths of the Hoh Rainforest to the arid, sage-covered expanse of the Horse Heaven Hills , Washington offers endless discoveries for people who love natural beauty.

Washington's Pacific coast offers a wealth of beaches; some you can drive bridge_over_waterfall_1.JPGon ( Long Beach ) and some are so wild you can't get a car within 20 miles of them (stretches of protected shoreline in Olympic National Park ). When you take into account Washington's numerous bays and tidal inlets, the perimeters of its coastal islands, the San Juan Islands, and the islands of Puget Sound, and then add in the shorelines of the Strait of Juan de Fuca , Admiralty Inlet, Hood Canal and Puget Sound, Washington has an astounding 3,036 miles of saltwater coastline.

Washington is also home to many beautiful rivers, none more majestic than the mighty Columbia, the largest river in the Pacific Northwest and the largest hydroelectric power-producing river in North America. It flows through the Grand Coulee Dam , which is the largest single producer of hydroelectricity in the United States. The Columbia River Gorge is famous for its vast panoramas of spectacularly dramatic scenery. Its strong winds also make it a world-famous windsurfing destination.

Then there are the mountains. The state has numerous mountain ranges, but the two largest are the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range. The Olympic Mountains take up most of the Olympic Peninsula (which is the far northwest corner of Washington State and of the contiguous United States). Largely protected within the confines of Olympic National Park , the Olympics offer the most spectacular examples of the state's coastal temperate rainforests (especially in places like the Hoh River Valley), beautiful alpine meadows (a riot of wildflowers in spring), muscle-soothing hot springs, and some 70 miles of protected Pacific coastline.

MtR_Paradise_Inn_1.JPGThe Cascade Range bisects the state north to south, from Mount Baker and the North Cascades National Park at the Canadian border all the way to the Columbia River Gorge at the farthest southern reaches of the state. In addition to Mount Baker, the Cascade Range incorporates Mount Rainier National Park , Mount Adams and Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument . The Cascade Range also creates a barrier to coastal weather systems, making western Washington a lush, green land of temperate rainforests and giving eastern Washington a drier, much sunnier climate.

Many of Washington's waters, mountains and forests are protected by the state's three national parks, some 120 state parks, numerous wilderness areas, recreation areas and preserves. It's no surprise then that Washington is a haven for watchable wildlife: whales and other sea mammals, migratory and native birds, deer, bears, cougars, otters, foxes and much more.

Article reprinted with permission:

Tammy Guill
International and Domestic Travel Trade Manager
Washington State Tourism Office | Department of Commerce
128 10th Ave SW | PO Box 42525 | Olympia WA 98504
Office: 360.725.4185 | Fax: 360.586.0873
tammy.guill@commerce.wa.gov
www.ExperienceWA.com

 
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